Investing.com – Asian stocks were up on Thursday, with Korean shares performing strongly and amid fresh hopes that the Bank of Japan will implement steps to cope with the yen's recent sharp gains.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 1.19%; South Korea's Kospi Composite jumped 1.00%; and Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 1.32%.
The Kospi's gains came after auto-makers and technology stocks advanced strongly. Shares in Hynix Semiconductor climbed 3.20% while electronics company LG Innotek also gained 3.20%.
Meanwhile, Korean auto-shares rose on expectations of increased demand, with shares in Hyundai Motors up 3.0%
In Japan, shares were boosted following media reports that the BoJ is to consider taking monetary-easing steps to curb the yen's recent steep gains against the U.S. dollar.
Japanese exporters rose after the report, with auto-makers Toyota up 1.30% while shares in Nissan jumped 1.70%. Meanwhile, electronics giant Sony advanced 0.60% while digital camera makers Canon gained 2.0%
The outlook for European equity markets, meanwhile, was upbeat: EURO STOXX 50 futures indicated a gain of 0.58%, France’s CAC 40 futures pointed to a rise of 0.54% and Germany's DAX futures indicated an increase of 0.58%.
Earlier in the day, official data showed that Germany's producer price index rose more than expected in July.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 1.19%; South Korea's Kospi Composite jumped 1.00%; and Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index surged 1.32%.
The Kospi's gains came after auto-makers and technology stocks advanced strongly. Shares in Hynix Semiconductor climbed 3.20% while electronics company LG Innotek also gained 3.20%.
Meanwhile, Korean auto-shares rose on expectations of increased demand, with shares in Hyundai Motors up 3.0%
In Japan, shares were boosted following media reports that the BoJ is to consider taking monetary-easing steps to curb the yen's recent steep gains against the U.S. dollar.
Japanese exporters rose after the report, with auto-makers Toyota up 1.30% while shares in Nissan jumped 1.70%. Meanwhile, electronics giant Sony advanced 0.60% while digital camera makers Canon gained 2.0%
The outlook for European equity markets, meanwhile, was upbeat: EURO STOXX 50 futures indicated a gain of 0.58%, France’s CAC 40 futures pointed to a rise of 0.54% and Germany's DAX futures indicated an increase of 0.58%.
Earlier in the day, official data showed that Germany's producer price index rose more than expected in July.